Thoughts on Charter Arm revolvers?
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I had a Charter Arms Bulldog Pug in .44 Special back in the day...it was a really cool little gun until it started to shoot itself apart after a couple hundred rounds. Definitely made to be carried a lot and shot a little.
istolsI looked at a charter arms bulldog and an undercover .38 the other day and realy thought they were nice guns for the money. I was also really surprised by the smooth action on the undercover,its not the first one I've looked at that had a nice action and a tight lock up on it. I'd have bought the undercover in I didn't have so many snubbys right now.
Yep that was my idea exactly. I keep going back to the S&W Airweights and everyone says how bad the service is on Taurus so been looking at Ruger or Charter Arms and heck even Taurus. I mean how bad can they be?
Just want a light weight revolver for a BUG that won't break the bank. I'm headed to the gun shop I normally get my stuff from to see if they have a used S&W Airweight but if not it will be a new one in Charter or Ruger.
Taurus has that life time gurantee if something should go wrong but every time I mention Taurus I get the "They have the worst customer service" so my dilemma continues.
If any of you know or could recommend what is the most potent .38 or .38+P brand that would be potent enough close to the .357 mag round?
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No .38 Special will even come close to a .357 Magnum, but there are some effective loads out there. Hard to beat the old standby FBI load...a +P 158 gr. LSWCHP (Lead Semi-Wadcutter Hollow Point).
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I suggest you bite the bullet and buy a Smith myself. I've run a bulldog 44 special a little and it's not a piece I'd carry on the streets to protect my butt.
We've had the relatively newer ones in the shop occassionally and though they look like a better product than decades gone by, I prefer to buy the best I can find when it's my arse that may suffer for the decision.
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I agree with Brownie. Find a used S&W model 36 or Airweight, load it up with +P's, and be safe. A S&W 442 or 642 would be nice choices. I did some research, and just about bought a Charter back in June at the time I bought my 642, but had some reservations. I had no 2nd thoughts about a S&W at all, so I got the 642. The Smith cost me a bit more, but I don't regret it.
The new evolution of Charters might be great, as some other posters have mentioned, but S&W's have always been great guns, and dependable.
The new evolution of Charters might be great, as some other posters have mentioned, but S&W's have always been great guns, and dependable.
Gosh I have posted about a BUG peice enough times here. LOL...I did call my gun shop in sarasota today and asked if they had any used S&W airweights and they said yes so on this Thursday I am finally going to bite the bullet and end this madness.
My only dilemma is the "used" issue. I'm 2 years into pistols and even less informed on revolvers. Are there some things I should be looking for when buying a used revolver?
Brownie do you own/work in a gun shop?
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I work a shop out here a few days a week when I'm not traveling with the training. Used revos are not really used, and a used 5 shooter Smith likely has less than 500 rds through it and more likely less than 300 rounds. They are not a gun people shoot very often after getting some practice in with them when they buy them.
There are a few things to look for in a revo but with the 5 shooters I've not seen one shot enough to be out of time enough to matter. Once you buy one you'll be like most others and shoot the gun some and then carry it more than shoot it.
There was an interesting post you made the other day Brownie (I think the other day anyway) someone was discussing the S&W 340PD and how light it was. This was the gun I really wanted, I thought, if I could afford it. What is not to like..It fires .357 & .38 and only weighs 12 oz!!!
Then Brownie made a comment I didn't think of about quick follow up shots hard to be accurate (if I remember). I had not thought of this. Back to square one I was.
Then being on another forum I found a discussion on this 340PD and again someone made the comment Brownie did.
I think my internal struggle with this BUG piece has more to do with ego having the option to fire the .357 and not knowing if the additional weight will make it more difficult to pocket carry/use as a BUG.
So don't know if I should go with a 640 (.357/.38) or an Airweight only to shoot a .38 and it being light.
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Only you can decide between the two choices.
I carried a 640-1 357 5 shooter all stainless heavy in my back pocket all day today. Didn't really notice it was there, but I would if front pocket carried and won't carry the heavies there.
I don't prefer the lightweights for two reasons. One is recoil on follow up shots and the other is they are uncomfortable to shoot vs the heavies. Now that might not matter to you, but I fully expect to have to use my gun one day and I want the more rapid follow up shots and better recoil control when it happens.
I also like to practice with the guns I carry regularly more than others and I don't like my hand getting beat up when I push 100 rds through the gun in 30 minutes or less [ I shoot one handed the majority of time as that's likely going to be how I shoot it on the street using the skills I teach ]. Most people will shoot these 5 shot lightweights two handed and not that many in such a short period of time.
As to the 357 vs 38, I prefer to carry the all steel model 60 with the Buffalo Bore [ BB ] 150 grain full wadcutters that are hot over the 357 640-1 with 125 grainers. I like the wadcutters for punch and the damage they are going to create over the HP's and BB doesn't presently make a 357 wadcutter.
I just happened to grab the heavy this morning and tomorrow it will likely be the 60 with 150 grain BB's. These are the BUG guns and not my primary weapon. Today the primary was a Sig 228 W. German made 9mm with a spare mag.
I carried a 640-1 357 5 shooter all stainless heavy in my back pocket all day today. Didn't really notice it was there, but I would if front pocket carried and won't carry the heavies there.
I don't prefer the lightweights for two reasons. One is recoil on follow up shots and the other is they are uncomfortable to shoot vs the heavies. Now that might not matter to you, but I fully expect to have to use my gun one day and I want the more rapid follow up shots and better recoil control when it happens.
I also like to practice with the guns I carry regularly more than others and I don't like my hand getting beat up when I push 100 rds through the gun in 30 minutes or less [ I shoot one handed the majority of time as that's likely going to be how I shoot it on the street using the skills I teach ]. Most people will shoot these 5 shot lightweights two handed and not that many in such a short period of time.
As to the 357 vs 38, I prefer to carry the all steel model 60 with the Buffalo Bore [ BB ] 150 grain full wadcutters that are hot over the 357 640-1 with 125 grainers. I like the wadcutters for punch and the damage they are going to create over the HP's and BB doesn't presently make a 357 wadcutter.
I just happened to grab the heavy this morning and tomorrow it will likely be the 60 with 150 grain BB's. These are the BUG guns and not my primary weapon. Today the primary was a Sig 228 W. German made 9mm with a spare mag.
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